January 27 News, Ripple released 1 billion XRP at the beginning of 2026, marking the first scheduled escrow unlock of the year. According to Ripple’s escrow plan, these tokens are released monthly to provide a predictable market supply. This release involved three separate transactions valued at approximately $1.84 billion, with tokens sent to two wallets associated with Ripple, each with a new balance of 1 billion XRP.
The unlock has attracted community attention, mainly due to a memo that implied Ripple sold over $8 billion worth of XRP in 2025 for corporate acquisitions and predicted larger token sales in 2026, while also mentioning the development of the stablecoin RLUSD. Some community members mistakenly believed the statement was from Ripple, sparking intense discussion. However, Ripple clarified that the memo was not issued by the company, and anyone can trigger releases and add notes once the scheduled escrow release time arrives; the company cannot control the additional information.
Since 2017, Ripple has used a timed escrow mechanism, releasing up to 1 billion XRP each month to ensure predictable market supply. The unlocked tokens are sent to associated wallets, but the company does not manually approve each release, which can sometimes lead to misinterpretation of on-chain data by the community. This event highlights the risk of misinformation spreading when users take data out of context. Currently, the newly unlocked XRP has not been used, and market focus remains on whether Ripple will re-lock tokens or deploy funds.
Overall, the escrow unlock at the beginning of 2026 does not alter Ripple’s established process but serves as a reminder for investors to exercise caution when interpreting on-chain data. As institutional adoption increases and stablecoin operations develop, Ripple’s escrow activities will continue to be an important variable in market attention.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
XRP reclaims the fourth position in market capitalization: open interest surges, leverage returns as traders bet on a new rally
On March 17, XRP's price surged to $1.53, up 11% for the week, reclaiming the fourth position by market cap with a total market capitalization of approximately $93.4 billion. Trading volume and derivatives market activity are robust, with open interest reaching 3.53 billion contracts, reflecting increased market participation but also heightened volatility risks. Key near-term observation lies in the $1.50 to $1.60 range, with price performance set to influence subsequent trends.
GateNews25m ago
Grayscale Research Chief Says XRP Could Be Repriced as Clearer Rules Emerge
Zach Pandl, Head of Research at Grayscale Investments, stated in a March 2026 interview that XRP could experience significant repricing once clearer digital asset regulations emerge in the United States, with specific focus on long-term token supply dynamics and institutional participation.
CryptopulseElite36m ago
XRP Ledger Holders Surpass 7.7 Million for the First Time, Active Addresses Hit 5-Week High
Gate News reports that on March 17, according to Santiment data, the number of XRP Ledger holders surpassed 7.7 million for the first time (non-empty wallets). Additionally, at the close of yesterday (March 16), its active addresses reached 46,767, hitting a 5-week high.
GateNews1h ago
XRP Today’s News: XRPL Develops Zero-Knowledge Proofs, $1.50 Becomes a Key Support and Resistance Level
XRP Ledger is developing zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology to enable selective privacy protection. Meanwhile, the ledger will support confidential tokens while balancing transparency and compliance. XRP is currently trading at $1.46, and in the short term needs to break through the key resistance of $1.50 to push higher toward more elevated targets.
MarketWhisper4h ago
